I brought both my kids, Debbie and Ronny, to Dover when they were very young. Today both kids like fast things, cars, motorcycles and snowmobiles. I said kids but both are grown up and have families of their own now.
Ronny and his cousin Danny came to Florida to visit back in 1985. Flew down, rented a Camaro and drove to Bradenton to meet us at the dragstrip. Ronny asked me if he could race the rented Camaro. I sent him to tech, they both, Ronny and Danny tested and raced the Camaro all night.
After the racing was done we asked the announcer Hasley Hood (the Dino of Bradenton) if we could race each other. He agreed and we did race each other for the first time. That rivalry continued with the Dover races 2, 3 and 4. After our racing each other at Island Dragway we try to continue that one race each year.
From that first time ever on the dragstrip at Bradenton Ronny went on to race motorcycles. He raced with Pro Star and won a championship in his class. He has even got his daughters involved as crew members helping him with his racing.
The Dover race has brought our families back together every year since they started at Island Dragway back in 2009. Who would have thought a strip of land in Wingdale New York so many years ago would have had such an effect on our lives that still continues so many years later.
We are glad that the memories were not lost and forgotten thanks to Dino, Brian and all the ODF members.
mikey.